Age of Shoguns A Pokemon Fanfiction
by Extroph
Summary: In an ancient continent called Tiberia, various samurai shogunates use Pokemon for warfare, along with weapons and technology. This story tells the tale of a young samurai named Chris, who discovers that it should take more than blind faith to take people's lives.
1. Chapter 1: The Beginning

_ It was a hundred years after the fall of the old Ryuujin Empire. The emperor was nothing but a religious figurehead, and the three shogunates of the land fought for power constantly. The three great powers are the Kazan: powerful soldiers with Rapidash cavalry, Tsuchi: center of technological innovation, and Arashi: powerful naval force of the south. The Kazan Shogunate is in control of the center of the continent, immune of Arashi attacks due to their landlocked territory. The Tsuchi Empire is in control of the northern forests of the continent, with the Great Barrier Mountain to protect them from full scale land attacks. The Arashi is in control of thousands of small islands in the south of the continent, and is in control of naval trade and warfare. The three shoguns in control were originally the emperor's best generals, but their lust for power and control led them to the destruction of the once-great Ryuujin Empire…_

**Battle of Barrier Mountain – 102****nd**** Year of Struggle**

These damn Tsuchis… How in the world are they able to manipulate rock and fire to create such technology?! Before I have seen these catapults, I never knew that mankind can harness a power equal that of a Pokemon. Our numbers are quickly depleting, for we were never trained to fight against something we've never seen before.

"Chris! Watch out!" I turn around to see Ace lunging towards me, tackling me to the ground. A split second after we hit the ground, a large ball of fire dashed past us. Ace and I looked at each other and I gave a nod as a thank you. We both got up and went back in formation. The generals of this battle were making us march toward the Tsuchis straight on, while bands played in the front of each unit to spread morale. In my opinion, this strategy could've been made by a Tepig. I'd be lucky if I left this battlefield alive.

Every step I take closer towards the enemy, the less Arashi samurai remained. By the time the generals signaled a charge, our numbers were halved. Nevertheless, Ace and I charged uphill toward the enemy, who also left their catapult stations and charged at us. At this moment, every civilized thought escaped my body. I let out a roar of bloodlust, as I unsheathed Murasame, my family's katana, and I began to hack away at anyone in front of me. Bodies after bodies fell to the floor, as our superior soldiers continued their uphill charge. I constantly look at Ace to see if he was okay, but it seems that he was doing better than me. The moment of glory came when we heard the Tsuchi's sign of retreat, and our men's cries of victory echoed throughout the mountain. It was finally over. I survived for now. Then, I heard it.

It was a faint sound, but it seemed as if everyone heard it. Soon, it was quiet once more, as we all listened for the sound that we just heard. Then, a dart flew past my face, barely hitting my neck. I hear a body thud behind me, and soon, we all unsheathed our swords once more. Where did the dart come from?

"Over there!" Ace screamed at the top of his lungs. He pointed at the peak of the mountain. At first, nothing was there, but when I squinted my eyes, I saw the ninja hiding behind the rocks. "CHARGE!" a samurai yelled behind me, and we all accepted the command. The ninja heard our charging cry, and he leaped out of the hiding spot with a Drapion. The Drapion began to spread toxic spikes near the peak, as the ninja prepared his kusarigama. I stopped myself from charging, for I knew how deadly Drapion poison was.

"Stop! Stop charging you fools!" Ace and I yelled at the top of our lungs, but the blood thirsty samurais kept a steady pace. When we heard the first scream of pain, we knew it was over. We sprinted downhill towards the shore, as the echo of dying samurai poisoned our ears…

"We were lucky to be alive, but everyone else could have been as well, if they had not let pride and glory get the better of themselves." I sipped my drink to signal that I have ended the story. The samurai around the campfire was left awestruck at the story, but some older men were shaking their heads.

"That's too much Tauros crap for one night, I'm out!" A veteran samurai yelled, as he got up and marched to his camp. I stared at the rest of the samurai, who also began to get up and go to sleep. They couldn't accept the truth that tomorrow, when we face the Tsuchis once more, there's a strong chance we might see the mysterious ninja again.


	2. Chapter 2: Revelations

I woke up to the sound of trumpets. It wasn't the usual sound they make to wake everyone up, but I didn't pay attention as to why it was so. I opened my eyes slightly, and looked towards the opening of my tent, expecting to see the faint hint of light I usually see when awakened. But it was still dark outside, with no signs of light but the torches outside.

As I exited the tent, I began to realize that my skull felt as if it was caving in on itself. I grabbed my forehead with my right hand, while I tried to stabilize my breathing. I collapsed on my knees as my eyesight blurred and my ears rang. What was wrong with me? I don't remember anything unusual that could've caused this. I caught sight of the nurses rushing towards me before my body gave up, and I collapsed on the dirt.

"He's waking up! Someone bring him some water!" My eyes opened groggily as a faint blur transformed to a young lady in front of me. I looked around slowly as to where I was, but just thinking about simple things made my head spin again. As soon as another lady arrived with a bowl of water, she grabbed it hastily and helped me up. She had a worried look in her eyes that made it seem like she carried the world's problems.

"You were lucky we found you just in time." She whispered softly as she poured the water inside my mouth. What did she mean by this? What happened to me, anyway? My mind was flooded with questions, which made my head suffer once more. After gathering enough energy to sit up, she began to explain everything that has happened.

"A saboteur arrived in the camp at dawn with a blowdart. He entered the generals' tents and began to poison them in their sleep. Luckily, the Poliwraths on night duty saw him and alerted the whole camp with the trumpets. Before he was captured, the saboteur spread toxic spikes all over the camp as a final act of sabotage. You stepped on one as you exited your tent."

"So the saboteur was captured?"

"Of course! They're holding him in the Exexution Chamber right n-"

I limped out of the nurses' tent quickly, ignoring her plea for me to come back and rest. I can't let them kill this man; not now, not ever. Death is a luxury for men like him. As I walked towards my destination, I realized that the camp was empty aside from injured samurais. Could it be that they have gone to battle without official generals? I hoped for the best, but I expected the worst. I just hoped that Arceus will protect my people this day.

The chamber where they held prisoners was nothing but a set of portable metal cages, normally carried around by a group of Mamoswines during transport. Around each row of cages were a group of approximately 8 Electivires, with one guarding their own cage. I found the saboteur immediately when I saw 4 Electivires guarding the same cage. I nodded at them, and they stood out of the way as commanded.

The man was in ripped robes, with a torn back from whippings. His two arms were chained to the cage, making him slump lifelessly with his head facing the ground. His wiry long hair covered his eyes, but I could plainly see the grin on his face. "Is this all a game to you?! Tell me everything you know! What are you planning?!" I screamed at him recklessly, yet he did not answer. "Give him two shocks!" The Electivire willingly wrapped one of his wires on a bar, and sent a devastating shock that made the man scream. But even after that, he did nothing but laugh.

"I won't expect much from a boy like you." He began to raise his head to face me. "You see, you have much to learn before you can fully judge my actions. In truth, one cannot understand a man's reason fully, for they can never step in his shoes. But if you're so ecstatic about understanding the Tsuchis, why should I stop you?" He then got up on his feet, causing him to tower above me. He gave a slight chuckle, and began his story.

"the Tsuchi Empire was never a deadly place like your elders taught you. During the Age of Unity, when the Ryuujin Empire united all of us, the Tsuchi Empire was the center of agriculture and technology. We created the concept of katanas, which is widely used today. But the death of the last emperor unexpectedly led to the separation of powers toward the strong generals. The emperor failed to choose someone to inherit the position, so the many generals and rich landowners struggled for power. But you might be wondering why I'm giving you a history lesson. This is to show you that we are the same. The Tsuchis and the Arashi and the Kazan. We are from one ancestor, yet we fight. We fight for different causes. I can ask you why you kill so many monks of ours who were unwillingly forced to fight our battles, and you will not have a straight answer related to morals. Now you dare ask me why I kill so many of your men, when I can easily turn this question around on you."

"Don't try to circle me around like I'm a kid! Of course we all kill! Tell me what you're planning, and maybe you can die a quick death!" I leaned towards him with rage, grabbing the bars and gritting my teeth at him. He looked at me with a piercing gaze, as if he looked right through me. Then, he smiled.

I heard a faint thud behind me, and turned around quickly. Behind me, a few meters away, was a man with decorative armor, with his hand covering the nurse's mouth and a dagger slitting her throat. An infiltration?! The bastard stalled me with Tauros crap, while his friend infilitrated the camp! I tried my best to run towards the nearest tent for a weapon, while ordering the Electivires to attack the samurai. Various explosions and slashes could be heard behind me, but I focused on finding anything to protect myself. I limped towards the tent and reached it just in time. Fortunately, the tent had a chest filled with weapons, and I chose a dagger for myself. I couldn't move my arms well, so the lightest weapon is my best bet for now. I swiped the tent cover away, and saw what seemed impossible.

The samurai was staring at me calmly with a smile on his face, while the captive ninja grabbed a dagger stuck on a dead Electivire. The man spoke to me with a deep, stern voice.

"The name's Vernon, shogun of the Tsuchi Empire. You are to spread tales of my destructive power by living. Know that I did not kill you, and you owe your life to me for as long as you live." The ninja behind him then threw a smoke bomb, and they disappeared in the midmorning fog.


	3. Chapter 3: New Relations

_(Thank you for Emperor Justinian for letting me know that I should be more descriptive. I tried it out on this chapter and, hopefully, you'll like the story better with a lot more detail. This chapter and the next chapter is going to show a bit of background on our main character as well.)_

I paced slowly around the throne room, with both hands behind my back. I looked straight down at the newly polished floor. All that has happened and what was to come was so overwhelming for me. It all happened in a flash; as if my life fast forwarded while thousands of men died in the process. But this has been my dream ever since I was a child. Why can't I enjoy it like I should?

My thoughts were interrupted with a loud knock on the door. I looked up instantly, rejoicing silently that my wait was over. A soldier began to walk inside, accompanied by a man of higher status. The boy I grew up stood before me once more. Aside from his goatee and noticeable wrinkles, Ace was still the man who saved my life in the Battle of Barrier Mountain 12 years ago.

"Christopher the First, Shogun of the Arashi Dynasty. Has a nice ring to it!" Ace spread his arms wide, and expected me to finish a long-time-no-see hug. Instead, I turned to my side, and looked out the window. The faint reflection the window gave me was enough for me to rethink everything that has happened. I looked at it and only saw a stranger staring back. A man with long, black hair that went up to his neck. Gray strands of hair highlighted the area near his forehead, while furrows of wrinkles polluted his face. Was this really me? I imagined myself as a boy once more, the boy that always imagined what he'd look like and where he'd be when he grew up...

**13 years ago – Aboard _The Susano'o_**

_It hasn't stopped raining ever since we left the port this morning. The droplets of water invaded the reflection of myself in the window. The ship swayed back and forth, as it tried to overcome the storm. I never worried about the sea. It's always been my second home, for I was found by an Arashi couple inside a barrel in the middle of the ocean. I leaned my head to the window, and looked out. The fog covered most of the view, yet I could still see the looming shadow of the Great Volcano. Its thick black smoke could be seen from miles away, and is said to poison your lungs in one sniff. The fact that the Kazans made their villages on the slopes of this volcano surprised me. I never knew why they brought us here. As soldiers, we never really wonder where we're going, or why we were fighting. All we knew is that it was for the good of the country. _

"_Hey Chris, they need all samurais to report to the Pokemon Armory. We're gonna pick our partner Pokemon for this campaign." After having said that, Ace exited the room immediately. I stood up and scratched my head, for I wished to daydream some more. The ship was surprisingly large, so you could get lost easily in its halls. Being only a samurai for only a week, I was considered a newcomer. I never really argued about that, for I would get lost easily in this large ship. However, I eventually found my way to the Pokemon Training Area after following a couple of other samurai. The room was very large, and can easily fit over 500 people. Once everyone has been reported to be in the room, we lined up on a single file line, standing shoulder to shoulder. In front of all of us, a man in a blue robe with wave patterns stood before us. He had 4 katanas sheathed in his belt, and I wondered when the hell he was going to use all 4 at once. _

_ "Now I ASSUME that all of you are new, is that right?!" the man yelled. His thick black mustache shook every time he spoke. "My name is Admiral Cho, and Today you are ALL getting a Pokemon. You will use these forces of nature as a weapon of destruction. As you should all know by now, we are about to reach Kazan waters in a few minutes." He stopped for a brief second and signaled a few men to enter the room. Roughly 50 men came in, each carrying two large suitcases. They laid them out on a long table, bowed respectfully, and exited. The mean walked towards one of the suitcases and unlocked it. _

_ "Now, what we have here is stolen technology from the Tsuchis. It is a cube that you can hold with one hand, like a compass. It also opens up like a compass. But its purpose is much more complex than that of a compass. This-" He held up one of the cubes. It was made of brass, or at least it looked like it was, with a circular dot in the middle of one of its sides. He clicked the circle in the middle, and the cube unlocked itself, but did not open completely. He threw it in the area before us, opening midair before it landed. "-is a Pokemon Cube. It acts as a radar for your very own Pokemon. As long as he's less than 800 kilometers away from you, he can hear it." Suddenly, the door opened on cue and a Snorunt walks in. "The technology that allows this is too complex for even me to understand. All I know is that it involves some kind of special pitch that only one Pokemon can hear due to the scientists placing matching pitch catchers on their ears beforehand."_

_ After the orientation, everyone of us were psyched about receiving one. I wondered how many intelligent men worked diligently into creating that technology. To dismiss us, we were to be given a code number of our own before leaving the Training Area. We are then supposed to show it to the Pokemon Keepers to receive the Pokemon assigned to us. Apparently, all the Pokemon were being held in a different boat, so we need to row to the other convoy ship. _

_ Before I went to sleep that night, I looked out the window towards the other ship. It was twice the size of ours, with twice the amount of men on board. I wondered what Pokemon I would receive tomorrow morning. I always loved Water types, but I don't really mind if it was another type. After a few minutes of thinking, I finally went to bed..._

"Sir?" I looked at the young soldier who called me, and I nodded for him to go on ahead. He saluted and left the room hastily, closing it behind him. Ace then walked towards me with a concerned look. "You sort of dozed off on us there." He said with a chuckle. I kept my eye on the window, and more importantly, on the outside world.

Right outside my palace window was the city port. I could see the daily life of my people here every day. But today, it was closed off for important visitors. I scanned the ocean waters to see if they have arrived yet. I lost hope after a while, but I then located a trail of smoke coming from the horizon. The ship was black in color, with long poles coming out of it. It left a trail of white smoke behind, and it somehow moved without sails. What was even more odd about it is that, when I finally saw it from up close upon docking in the port, it was made of pure steel.

Hundreds of soldiers in dark green uniform exited the ship and formed two straight rows facing each other. Then, finally, a man walked out of the ship. He had a long green robe, with gold patterns of leaves and flowers on it. His hair was slicked back and pure black, and his full mustache was hanging from his lip and chin and down to his jaw. He walked slowly with a cane of gold, with the tip having a claw-holding-an-orb design. A man wearing a dark purple uniform walked beside him. He had long wiry hair in a ponytail, with highlights of gray hair like mine. He had an army service uniform like the other soldiers, only his was decorated with medals. He began to look up the tower until he met eyes with mine, and smiled. It was the same evil smile plastered on his face when we captured him 12 years ago.

"Whoever thought that this was a good idea?" I said irritably. Ace sighed and explained that the Council of Lords decided it was beneficial for our country. I never knew that men could be so ignorant as to make deals with the devil. But it was all too late now. I'm going to have to have a second meeting with the Shogun of the Tsuchi Empire.


End file.
